Entertainment

The Weeknd Shares His New Video For “Starboy”

New sound, new hair, new Abel

The Weeknd released his new single “Starboy” featuring Daft Punk last week, after teasing the album title and cover art. Today, visuals for the new song just dropped on Vevo.

Before the song even starts, we’re met with The Weekend as we formally knew him—complete with dreadlocks—being strangled with a plastic bag (yeah, he gets right into it). Cut to his death, and the Starboy appears, sans locs, in an all-black ensemble wearing a diamond encrusted cross around his neck.

This new version of the singer walks around smashing old records and pretty much anything in sight with a neon pink cross as a painting of Daft Punk towers over him. Once the damage is done, the Abel reincarnation rides off with a black panther in the passenger seat.  

The video was directed by Grant Singer, who also worked with the singer on “The Hills,” “Can’t Feel My Face,” and “Tell Your Friends.” The video already received a nomination at the MTV EMAs for Best Video (yes, before it was even released). It’s up against Beyoncé’s “Formation,” Coldplay's “Up & Up,” Kanye’s “Famous,” and Tame Impala’s “The Less I Know The Better.” The competition is tough, but he might have a good chance. Who doesn’t love a good transformation story?

You can watch the video in its entirety below.